The Greatest Promise Series

THE GREATEST PROMISE

1 JOHN 2:18-29

#promise

INTRODUCTION… http://list25.com/25-craziest-political-promises-ever/1/

Everyone knows that when it comes to promises, politicians make a whole lot of them. They do not have a monopoly on making promises or breaking promises, but they are ones whose promises are often recorded for all to listen to. Every time election season rolls around the promises start flowing and without fail the people cling to the ones they want to believe in the most. So, in honor of their incredible boldness, here are some of the 25 craziest political promises ever:

#25 Vermin Supreme promised a pony to everyone in the United States and a pony-based economy.

#24 John Edwards promised to cure disease and sickness and paraplegics.

#22 Dan Quayle promised no other country in the world would have better educated American citizens.

#20 Ronald Reagan promised not to exploit his opponent’s youth and inexperience.

#19 Dan Quayle promised the future would get better tomorrow.

#17 Hunter Thompson promised to replace all the roads in Aspen CO with sod.

#13 Bill Clinton promised that he was the president that had the most fun.

#12 Jello Biafra promised San Francisco that all businessmen would wear clown suits

#11 Al Gore promised that zebras would not change their spots.

#9 Ronald Reagan promised to give orders to be awakened in a crisis, even if he was in a meeting.

#6 Herbert Hoover promised a chicken in every pot.

#4 Newt Gingrich promised a moon colony by 2020 if elected.

#1 Teddy Roosevelt promised not to run for President again if elected.

We can laugh at those things because some are funny and some are just people who misspoke words when the words were being recorded. If you speak in front of people long enough, you are bound to say something that doesn’t sound quite right! I do think we can all agree that in general breaking promises is frowned upon. We expect that when people tell us something that they keep their word. We expect that when people say ‘yes’ they mean ‘yes.’ We expect that when people say ‘no’ they mean ‘no.’ We expect that when a promise is given that it is kept. We of course know that promises are broken. Maybe we are someone who breaks our promises.

God is different. God is righteous and perfect and keeps all promises made.

* Psalm 89:34 says, “I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips.”

* 2 Corinthians 1:19-20 says, “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. 20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.”

God is righteous and perfect and keeps all promises made. This morning as we read in 1 John 2, we are going to find a passage that is full of different ideas, but at the center of it is the greatest promise you and I have from God.

READ 1 John 2:18-29

Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. 21 I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist-- he denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. 24 See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised us- eternal life. 26 I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. 27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit-- just as it has taught you, remain in him. 28 And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.